A Marietta woman who wrote me a couple of weeks ago about an old pocket watch that once belonged to her grandfather is $1,000 richer today after taking my advice and shipping the watch insured to Jones & Horan Auction Team in Goffstown, N.H.
Jones & Horan Auction Team is one of the leading auction houses around the country today that specialize in selling vintage watches, old coins, estate jewelery, and old clocks, netting $1 million in sales in 2010.
If you have jewelery, watches, coins, old clocks you would like to sell outright or consign to auction, contact George Jones toll free 1-800-622-8120 - tell him Larry sent you.
Last week, I told you about a Beverly postcard selling for $432.80 on eBay with several people bidding on it titled, "Beverly Ohio Boat Disaster," one of the worst steamboat disasters on the Muskingum River on Nov. 12, 1852. After writing about the postcard, I received a couple of e-mails wanting to know more about the disaster. So after some research, I was able to come up with information on the disaster. Here goes ...
Shortly after 5 p.m. on Nov 12, 1852, the Buckeye Belle steamboat was making a regular run from Marietta to Zanesville and while it entered the Beverly canal, an explosion took place that killed 20 people instantly, with several others dying later from injuries caused by the explosion. There were 45 people on board. Only 10 escaped injury. Unrecognizable bodies of 16 people were buried in one grave in the Beverly Cemetery. One large box buried there today contains fragments of human bodies picked up on the canal banks. Several of the survivors were blinded, crippled, or maimed for life. Surviving the tragedy was the Honorable Mr. Bartlett, a member of the House from Washington County. Also A. Layman, who was editor of the Marietta Republican newspaper. Another survivor was Charlotte Stone, a grand-niece of Rufus Putnam who lived to be 100 years old to tell about the tragedy.
Joseph Daniels of Harmar, 2nd engineer of the boat who survived but was severely scalded from the blast, a coroner's jury found that he was to blame for the explosion by improper conduct by failure of not holding down the main valve to keep the boiler from blowing off.
Today there is a monument to honor the ones who lost their lives on Nov. 12, 1852. It is located near the back fence of the Beverly Cemetery.
Auction prices realized
Dan Mercer ware, Parkersburg (flower vase), $60.
Game manufactured by Marietta Games, "Hour Glass Puzzle," $10.
45 rpm record, Watertown choir, sings "Peace in the Valley," $10.
Baltimore & Ohio Railway Station, 6th Street, Parkersburg, postcard, $5.
1980s Marietta T-shirt, Indie Eno, $8.
1912 The Dodge Home postcard, Beverly, $7.50.
Larry Koon is the author of several price guide books on antiques and collectibles. His column appears every Monday on Life. Send letters to Treasure in the Attic, c/o The Marietta Times, 700 Channel Lane, Marietta 45750; or e-mail him at koonantiques@yahoo.com. If possible, send a photograph. Letters will be answered through this column.
